The Office of the Prime Minister is forcing all local council candidates who work in the public service to take 15 days special unpaid leave for contesting local elections, Alternattiva Demokratika said this morning.

The government however said that the governmet policy was to widen civil servants' opportunities for participation in public life while safeguarding public administration.

Public administration officers who presented themselves as candidates for local election coul duse a special unpaid leave, if they did not want to utilise their normal leave, the government said

AD general secretary Ralph Cassar said that because of government policy, many candidates, including most AD candidates, will not be in a position to contest local elections.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairman, said it was absurd that the OPM was penalising local candidates for offering to give a voluntary service to their locality.

The PL called on the government to revise this position which went against the spirit of service and which did not encourage people to be of service.

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